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by Jennifer Rigby
LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) – Pfizer has donated 100,000 cycles of its COVID-19 antiviral remedy Paxlovid to a new organization aimed at improving access to the drug in low- and middle-income countries.
The Covid Treatment Quick Start Consortium, established through organizations such as Duke University and the Clinton Health Access Initiative with the help of the pharmaceutical company, said it is working with fitness ministries in 10 countries to establish national testing and remedy programs.
It aims for high-risk patients in some countries to begin treatment until the end of this month, the organization said on a Wednesday.
While Paxlovid is widely available in many rich countries, its availability has been severely limited in poorer countries, reflecting disparities in the global reaction to COVID-19.
Pfizer has already struck a deal with several generic drug brands to produce its remedy at a lower price for low- and middle-income countries. They are expected to sell their versions of the drug to the consortium when their products are approved, which is most likely in the coming months.
Before that, Pfizer’s donation facilitates what is a pilot program in countries that already have a testing infrastructure, adding Nigeria, Laos, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Other teams also aim to expand and make sure the drug is used well around the world.
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDI), for example, is looking to conduct a test to see if Paxlovid can still work well if treatment is started more than five days after symptom onset, based on existing use recommendations.
This tight schedule can become an obstacle in countries with under-resourced fitness systems, DNDI said. (Reporting via Jennifer Rigthrough; Editing via Alexander Smith)